NO TRICKS. JUST TREATS.

I might lose a few friends by admitting this, but Halloween really isn't my thing. I'm not sure why exactly, it's just not. I do the necessary requirements like carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating, but that's about it. Nugget desperately wants me to decorate our yard all spooky like, but it's just not in me. Heck, we don't even hand out candy (gasp!). Maybe next year.

Anywho, despite my lack of love for the holiday, the kids had ample opportunity to party it up. Starting with the ECFE party...

 Superman

 Princess Nugget

 Superbaby

Our teacher, Miss Britt

 

Then there was Nugget's classroom party at preschool. She got a last minute hand me down mermaid outfit from her cousin, so she decided to do a switcheroo. And I was on board cause it was WAY cute!

 

 

 

Although we painted pumpkins weeks ago, I totally dropped the ball on carving them. We seriously did it at 4pm ON Halloween. Whoopsie.

 

 

While we waited for Daddy to get home from work and go trick-or-treating, I tried to get a photo of the kids together. This normally stresses me out and makes me just about lose my mind, but this time they cooperated pretty well and were even a bit funny.

 

Our neighborhood is pretty lame as far as candy goes, so we hit up a more kid friendly neighborhood to fill up the loot bags. Nugget also got to complete her "homework" of trick-or-treating at her teacher's house, so she was pretty thrilled about that ;) We stayed out just long enough to get an ample supply of chocolate for Mom and Dad (Kidding. Sort of.) before heading to our friends, The Welcome's, for a short visit and special silver dollar coins for the kids.

 

So even though it's not my fav, it's still fun and I'm glad we do it all.

 

Then there's this. So...yeah...

 



 

No tricks. Just treats. Maybe.

 







IN OUR GARDEN.

Before the first frost of the cold season came, we went out to the garden to do one last harvest. We took all that we could, ready or not. We were surprised to find how much was still left out there! We yielded cucumbers, green and red peppers, red and green tomatoes, raspberries, and the most exciting...giant sunflowers! These things were planted by the birds, grew 7 feet tall, and produced a flower that was 16 inches in diameter! The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever, which it kind of was!

Side note: This stud prefers his jammies. All day, every day.

It took us a few days, but we picked every last seed out of the biggest one, then soaked and roasted them.They'll be a tasty treat for Daddy's fish house this winter! We picked the seeds out of the second one as well, but we're saving those so we can plant them next year.

We had a good run with our garden this year. It provided the majority of Otto's baby food and many afternoon snacks for the kids. I will miss the days of going out and picking something fresh to add to our dinner and popping handfuls of fresh raspberries into our mouths. But the good thing is we get to do it all again next year!

THE APPLE PATCH AND PUMPKIN ORCHARD.

Fall is here, yay! It's simply my favorite. But then again, I love the turn of all seasons. Even winter. Everything is so refreshing, exciting, new. Fall brings with it a few simple traditions that I like to carry out, and I have been talking about them with the kids. But I mustn't have been too clear, as they have been referring to the orchard as the patch, and the patch the orchard.

So on Sunday we went to the Apple Patch. Orchard. Whatever. We found a super adorable, quaint little orchard to try, and it just so happened to be run by a family that is in our ECFE class. And, they take a natural/organic approach to their apples, which is hard to come by in a pick your own orchard. We were pleased as punch, and will definitely be back. Maybe even this year yet, as I made applesauce last night and its just about gone already!

 Don't worry. He didn't actually eat it. Just giving it a little lick ;)

***

And today it's OCTOBER! Can you believe it? We have three glorious forecasted days this week, then it looks like we're going to get hit with rain and cold. So I've been trying to get the kids outside as much as possible, soak up as much sunshine as we can.  Today we made a quick stop to Barten's Pumpkins, so that we could do a little pumpkin painting fun. We'll go again with the Daddy closer to Halloween and get our big ones for carving.

So here I thought I was all sly going midday during the week, you know, to avoid a crowd. But then I pulled up to two busloads of kids on a field trip, so that theory was a bust. But nonetheless, we had fun, and the school kids were well controlled :)

 She's so good with him. Wish she was as good to her other brother too, ha!

 Cutest pumpkin in the patch!

 Shucking corn, and Milo trying to eat it :)

***
"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."
-Anne of Green Gables

Happy Fall, y'all!

BACK TO IT.

I really cannot believe that summer is officially over and we are back to our school year routines. I do appreciate the consistency of a routine again, but we're only two days in and I already miss those slow, easy mornings. We're all adjusting and will snap back to it in no time, let's hope!

Nugget started her second year of preschool this week, and while she is a little hesitant to have a new assistant teacher and 20 kids in this Pre-K class (versus 8 last year!), she had a great first day back and was happy to reunite with some of her pals.

Lots of people have questioned our choice to not send her to Kindergarten this year, but I knew since the day she was born that I'd keep her at home with me for an extra year. I mean, come on, her birthday IS the cutoff date. And I'm a former Kindergarten teacher for goodness sakes, I know that there is no harm in holding her back. This way she'll be one of the oldest instead of the youngest, hopefully a leader instead of a follower. And I'm not gonna lie, I'm totally selfish and just want her with me! Once they go off to school you never really get these precious baby days back!

Any who, her teacher is amazing and posts daily updates (with pictures!) of all their class happenings. So even when she tells me she did "nothing" in school on a particular day, I totally know the inside scoop! Here are some pics from her first day:

Nugget's favs of the day were reconnecting with her buddy, Kate, and checking out The Little Mermaid from Mrs. Pleis' library. Ahh, the good life ;)

***
And! Before I forget, last week when all the big kids went back to school, we did our traditional breakfast at Patty's Place, and watched all the school buses go by. I did get a little teary eyed knowing that next year she is going to be on one of those buses. I am determined to make this year count big. Eat her up while I still can.

***
Catching up on the ol' blog here is on my To-Do list for this week, cross your fingers for me that it happens! xx

{HALF} A YEAR IN REVIEW.

Holy smokes, how did we get here already? It's cool though, This ain't my first rodeo. I know life with him only continues to get better each day!

Happy 1/2 birthday to my chunky little lover man!

BIRTHDAY INTERVIEW: 5.

Q: How old are you today?
A: Um, 5.

Q: What do you like to play?
A: Princess Polly Pockets, my Barbies, my Strawberry Shortcake dolls, My Little Ponies, Emily (American Girl doll), and don't forget my mermaids!

 Q: What do you like to do with Mommy?
A: Go on dates together, go shopping

Q: What do you like to do with Daddy?
A: Go to Daddy's shop and build stuff, like my princess house

 Q: What do you like to play with Milo?
A: Build big Legos.

Q: What do you like to do with Otto?
A: Play my Dora drum music, then he squeals to the beat!

 Q: What do you like to eat?
A: Ham and cheese, Peanut butter and jellies, oh yeah, and salads! And bunny noodles and shell noodles.

 Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Fuschia.

 Q: What do you like to watch on TV or what is your favorite movie?
A: Bubble Guppies, Doc, Sophia the First, and all the girl shows. // Snow White because there is a silly dwarf!

Q: What is your favorite store?
A:  Grocery store, because it has the best cookies.

 Q: What makes you happy?
A: When Otto smiles at me.

 Q: What makes you sad?
A: When I'm hurt, and when Milo plays sad music. (She hates his nighttime lullaby music!)

 Q: What is your favorite animal?
A: Is a dolphin an animal? I like dolphins.

 ***
You can read previous interviews here and here.